In a semiconductor fabrication process, integrated circuit (IC) devices are formed in sequential layers of material in a bottom-up manufacturing method. The manufacturing process utilizes a wide variety of processing and measuring tools and techniques to form the various layered features including various deposition techniques and thermal growth techniques. The processing tool performs the various processing functions as defined by a recipe for the manufacture of the semiconductor device.
In a wafer fabrication facility (fab), a lot transfer is controlled by automation systems. The methodology to feed work-in-progress (WIP) to tool is by an agent that is periodically and not timely triggered.